Old-Time Religion Embracing Modernist Culture: American Fundamentalism between the Wars by Douglas Carl Abrams (review)

In Old-Time Religion Embracing Modernist Culture: American Fundamentalism between the Wars, Douglas Carl Abrams offers a nuanced exploration of fundamentalist leaders, ideology, and responses to modernist culture during the early twentieth century. Abrams avoids the temptation to focus on the infamous Scopes trial of 1925 and instead analyzes fundamentalist responses to changing societal views on science, reason, Marxism, and Friedrich Nietzsche. Fundamentalists navigated these challenges using "Common Sense Realism" and a firm faith in the supernatural power of God (p. xix). Abrams bases his research on the publications of leaders such as James M. Gray, J. Gresham Machen, and Bob Jones Sr., material that rarely mentions women. In addition, Abrams sparingly covers the South, noting that in general fundamentalists did not leave southern denominations and briefly discussing Bob Jones Sr., Dallas Theological Seminary, and Southern Baptist firebrand J. Frank Norris.

Abrams begins by evaluating how fundamentalist leaders disseminated their ideas. He reaches beyond The Fundamentals, a well-known series of pamphlets produced between 1910 and 1915, in his evaluation. For example, Abrams draws on the Moody Bible Institute Monthly, a significant periodical with a national circulation of 40,000 by 1935, and The King's Business, which was supported by the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. Through these publications, fundamentalist leaders expressed their understandings of many theological issues, especially their views on scripture. In the face of higher criticism, taught by mainline Protestant denominations, leaders such as James M. Gray argued for the belief in an inspired "Word of God" (p. 12). Again, Abrams points to a variety of beliefs regarding the Bible among fundamentalist leaders, not simply focusing on the movement's well-known belief in the inerrancy of scripture.

The developing field of psychology presented conflicts for fundamentalists. Sigmund Freud posited a human psyche that responded to natural causes, with no need for a relationship with a god figure. Freud also legitimated a wide range of sexual behavior, most of which fundamentalists viewed as sins. Overall, psychologists seemingly denied the existence of sin and therefore the need for redemption as well, implying that humans were responsible for saving themselves. Moreover, fundamentalists noted that other elements in society used psychology to lead society down hazardous paths. Advertising, for instance, played on and encouraged American consumerism. However, some fundamentalist leaders recognized that modernist ideas, such as psychology, offered potential clues as how to reach people with the gospel's message.

In painting a picture of fundamentalism's response to modern philosophy, Abrams highlights the beliefs of Friedrich Nietzsche, which were often connected with German aggression in Europe. The murder trial of Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold in Chicago offers the author a focus for this discussion, since it represented what fundamentalists saw as dangerous modern thinking. The two defendants referred to their acceptance of Nietzsche's beliefs as a justification for their crime, particularly Nietzsche's assertion that humans are governed by intelligence and that it alone separates them from the beasts.

Overall Abrams does a masterful job of demonstrating that fundamentalism between the wars was not a monolithic movement. No one leader spoke for all fundamentalists; instead, many offered a variety of interpretations of the threats presented by modernity. Abrams's view helps the reader understand how fundamentalist leaders struggled with these issues in American society between the wars.